What defines a great NHL defenseman?
That’s a question fans, pundits, executives and players themselves have debated for decades.
“The problem with defensemen is you can go one of two ways. You can go with the guy who puts points on the board, or you can go with the guy who is defensively responsible,” one NHL coach told ESPN. “I value those [defensive] guys way more than the guy who puts up 80 points a year and is not as good defensively.”
Others might argue the value of dominant point-producing blueliners can’t be overstated, and that the best defense can be a good offense.
Finding a defenseman who offers elite play in all three zones separates the franchise players from the stars — and, in some cases, the top players in our expert ranking of defensemen from the rest of the list.
ESPN’s 2023 NHL position-by-position ranking collected 20 surveys that represented those on the ice and behind the scenes.
Here’s how it worked: Surveys were conducted over the past two months. Respondents were asked to rank their current top 10 players at center, winger, defenseman and goaltender, based on a predetermined list of the top 25 to 35 players at each position. Players who were ranked in the top 10 on each ballot were given a numerical score — No. 1 earned 10 points, No. 2 earned nine points and so on.
There were 10 NHL players surveyed — six from the Eastern Conference, four from the Western Conference. They range from NHL award nominees to veteran role players. To balance that perspective, we surveyed 10 people from the hockey operations departments of NHL teams, including three coaches and three general managers.
Combined, their insights led to rankings that go behind fan conjecture and media narratives to reveal the best of the best — at least according to those inside the NHL.
Here are the top 10 defensemen, according to our surveys, with additional reporting from yours truly, Kristen Shilton and Ryan S. Clark to add context to the choices. Stats are collected from sites such as Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Reference and Evolving Hockey.
Not a bad first three seasons for the Avalanche defenseman: Rookie of the Year in 2019-20, followed by a Norris Trophy nomination, followed then by a Norris win, the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Through 45 games this season, Makar has 45 points. His combination of puck-moving skills, speed and agility is rarely seen in a defenseman who can also take care of business in the defensive zone.
“Similar to Connor McDavid, it is the speed he plays at,” one Western Conference executive said. “Not just skating speed but how he moves the puck and how he gets the shot off quickly.”
In our most recent monthly NHL Awards Watch, Makar ranked third for the Norris. After winning last season and being christened as a game-altering talent before his 25th birthday, there might be a little “let’s slow our roll on Makar” thing happening among NHL fans and pundits.
But the Western Conference executive said that’s the wrong reaction to a generational talent like Makar.
“We can have conversations about the over-glorifying of players. You saw the comments from star players on his team last year when they ended up winning. You saw the respect. They realized how fortunate they were in this development of that Colorado team to have Makar in that organization and be a part of it,” the exec said. “When you get that compliment from other elite players, it isn’t a glorification from executives or media. This kid plays the game the right way and is a dominant force out there.”
Makar was No. 1 on 15 of our 20 ballots. Fox was the only other defenseman to receive multiple first-place votes, both from active NHL players.
Fox is third in points by a defenseman over the past three seasons (171). He gives the Rangers a strong offensive option on the blue line; especially on the power play, in which he’s tied for the third-most points by a defenseman since 2020-21. While he’s solid in his own zone at 5-on-5, one hole in Fox’s otherwise complete game might be on the penalty kill, in which he ranks last among Rangers defensemen this season in expected goals against.
Another criticism came from an NHL veteran we surveyed who wasn’t that enamored with Fox’s play in the trenches of the defensive zone.
“I wouldn’t have Fox at No. 2. He’s a fantastic player — don’t get me wrong — but I think he has trouble with physical forwards,” the veteran said.
Not since the heyday of Hockey Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom has an NHL defenseman had the kind of consistent, laudatory run that Hedman has produced over the past seven seasons.
He has six straight Norris Trophy nominations, winning the award in 2017-18. He captured the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP in the Lightning’s 2020 Stanley Cup win. He’s a foundational player for a team that’s crept close to dynasty status in the past decade.
Few players in NHL history have combined his skating ability, ice vision and size: 6-foot-7 with a wingspan that seems to cover most of the slot area when he’s defending. While his offensive numbers have fallen off a bit through 50 games this season (1.8 points per 60 minutes, down from 2.5 in 2021-22), Hedman remains one of the best two-way defenders in the NHL.
He received one vote — from a coach — for the NHL’s top defenseman.
One active NHL player said that Hedman should be ranked ahead of Fox, praising his vision from the defensive end and the way his passes lead to Lightning breakouts.
Josi is second in points (173) over the past three seasons among NHL defensemen, but he leads all defensemen in even-strength points (102 in 179 games) during that span. He’s a player who is seemingly in constant motion when he’s on the ice, helping to jump-start the Predators’ game in all three zones during his 25 minutes, 11 seconds of ice time per game on average — an impressive total, given that he’s not one of the team’s primary penalty killers.
Josi earned his only Norris Trophy win during the truncated 2019-20 season with 65 points in 69 games.
The Predators defenseman didn’t earn a first- or second-place vote on our surveys, but he picked up most of his support in that third-through-fifth-place range. No one had more than his six fourth-place votes, and that’s exactly where he ended up.
For years, McAvoy was seen as a very good NHL defender whose lack of offensive production — compared to the points his peers were putting up — held him back from contending for the Norris Trophy and being considered among the NHL’s true elite.
Getting increased time on David Pastrnak‘s power play over the past two seasons has remedied that, as McAvoy has 37 points on the man advantage during that span.
Thanks to the power-play boost, McAvoy has posted his best points-per-60 minutes seasons. That includes his 33 points in 40 games this season, thanks in part to coach Jim Montgomery allowing his defenseman free reign offensively. McAvoy remains a strong penalty killer and solid in his own zone.
He’s a defenseman who inspires a lot of differing opinions. He received one first-place ballot and one second-place ballot; he also wasn’t included in the top 10 for two of our voters — both of whom are active NHL players.
“I like McAvoy. I would say he is too high,” a Western Conference executive said. “I would keep him in the top 10, but not at No. 5. He’d be more of a 6 or 7.”
“Charlie McAvoy is an excellent defender, but I’d put him lower,” an Eastern Conference coach said.
Which defensemen were the biggest snubs in ESPN’s 2023 NHL positional rankings?
Greg Wyshynski discusses which defensemen were snubbed in ESPN’s 2023 NHL positional rankings surveys.
If Charlie McAvoy at No. 5 is divisive, Erik Karlsson at No. 6 inspires the kind of fanatical debate usually reserved for political forums and discussion of “Star Wars” sequels.
Karlsson was the leader for the Norris Trophy in our last NHL Awards Watch but with just over 50% of the votes putting him first. There are people who genuflect to his offensive dominance, as Karlsson’s 1.33 points per game average this season would be the 13th highest in NHL history for a defenseman and the best average since Paul Coffey in 1988-89.
But there are people who believe he creates that offense to the detriment of his defensive game.
“I would not have Karlsson on that list,” a Western Conference exec said. “He’s elite offensively, but I am not sold on him playing in all situations.”
“I might have Karlsson a little higher because he’s so good when he’s dialed in,” one NHL veteran said. “He’s unbelievable on breakouts and has a good stick. Of course, he has his defensive lapses, but he’s probably cheating a little more on offense this season. But he’s a good defender.”
That last point was reiterated by an Eastern Conference executive: In assessing Karlsson’s season, one must also consider that the Sharks are a lottery team and that things could be different for the Swedish superstar with a change in scenery.
“I saw the other day he has the fourth-most points in the league,” the exec said. “You have to separate a player from the team when you are doing these specific-type rankings.”
Karlsson received a first-place vote — from a player — two second-place votes and three third-place votes. He was left off of six ballots completely — five from hockey operations individuals and one from a current player.
If there has been one constant in Karlsson’s career, it’s the fervent opinions of both his supporters and his detractors. That’s held steady during this season, aka The Karlsson-aissance.
Heiskanen refuses to be your trivia question answer. Yes, he was the defenseman taken one spot ahead of Cale Makar in the 2017 NHL draft, and that could end up being his legacy. No, he hasn’t posted the same otherworldly numbers, or secured the same accolades, as his classmate — Heiskanen hasn’t finished higher than 12th in the Norris Trophy voting, for example.
But Heiskanen’s steady, reliable game continues to improve. Under coach Peter DeBoer, whose system promotes offense from the back end, Heiskanen has his highest points per 60 minutes average (1.8) while playing his highest average ice time per game (25:25).
Again, he doesn’t have the fan club that Makar has. But those who know about Heiskanen? They know.
“I think the world of him. He’s a top-five defenseman in the NHL,” one Western Conference executive said. “I still think the surface is still being scratched offensively. The way he defends is almost as good as Victor Hedman. I think people who do not see him every night do not appreciate how he defends when he plays against Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl or Nathan MacKinnon. He can shut them down by his defending and his hockey sense.”
Dahlin has finally broken through in his fifth NHL season, delivering on the promise that comes with being the first overall selection in the 2018 draft. He had 56 points in his first 51 games, by far the best scoring pace of his career. He’s already set new personal bests in even-strength (22) and power-play (20) assists, while skating an average of 26 minutes per game and playing in all situations.
It’s a season that could end with Dahlin winning the Norris Trophy, as the Sabres defenseman has been in the top three in our NHL Awards Watch for the past few months. While he impressed many of our voters — a coach and a GM both had him second on their ballots — half of the people we surveyed didn’t include him in their top 10.
“Dahlin is having a really good season offensively, but I look at the whole picture,” a veteran NHL player said. “Would I want him on the ice when it’s 5-on-6? I don’t know.”
“I’d have Dahlin a little further down on the list,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “But if this was based on projection, I’d have him higher.”
This ranking began with a question about the value of defensemen. Slavin will never be confused with Erik Karlsson as a point-generating blueliner. But he’s widely considered the best “defensive defenseman” in the NHL — and the rock on which the Hurricanes have built their successful 5-on-5 system.
Slavin set a career high with 42 points last season, skating to a plus-35 rating. He leads Carolina in short-handed ice time, on a unit that has the highest success rate (85.1%) over the past four seasons. Best of all, his defensive play has allowed the Hurricanes to pair him with a series of offensive-minded defensemen who have flourished as his partner: Dougie Hamilton, then Tony DeAngelo and now Brent Burns this season.
“Slavin is a minutes muncher who can play in all situations, is a great defender, has an elite brain and is a No. 1 pairing guy that coaches can use in every game situation,” a Western Conference executive said.
“I would think Slavin is a top-five defenseman in the league,” a coach said. “While he does not have the points another player may have, he is a guy who takes care of his zone. You also have to remember he plays with Brent Burns. It’s hard for him to be offensive because he also has to cover.”
Hamilton squeaked into the top 10 ahead of a slew of runners-up while enjoying his best offensive season since 2019-20. Hamilton is averaging 2.6 points per 60 minutes for the Devils, skating 22:18 per game. His puck movement and passing ability have helped ignite New Jersey’s speed-driven offensive attack over the past two seasons. He’s also been Captain Clutch for the Devils: Six of his 15 goals this season have been game winners, including two in overtime.
A solid case? Sure. But not a convincing one to those who prefer other defensemen.
“I wouldn’t have Hamilton in the top 10,” a Western Conference executive said.
“I would replace Dougie Hamilton here with Hampus Lindholm or Devon Toews,” an Eastern Conference coach said.
Honorable mentions
Lindholm, who is having a breakout offensive season with the Boston Bruins, tied Hamilton in points but lost the tiebreaker, as the Devils defenseman had the higher placement on his best ballot (fifth) than did Lindholm (sixth).
“I think a player like Lindholm today is even higher than Dahlin,” an Eastern Conference executive said.
Toews, whose balance of solid defense and underrated point production helped the Colorado Avalanche to the Stanley Cup last season, was farther back but had his fans.
“Toews is the same as Slavin. He gets caught in the shadows of Makar a little bit, but he’s a great player,” a Western Conference exec said, making a case for Toews in the top 10. “Dougie brings more offensive pop, but I trust Toews more as a two-way player.”
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, who was injured 13 games into the season, was another runner-up.
“That list is so impressive that Zach Werenski isn’t even on there,” another Western Conference executive said. “You are seeing what happens in Columbus when he is gone. He plays in so many different roles for that team, and they are a team that has struggled without him in the lineup.”
The player who received the highest ballot placement (fourth) without making the cut? Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, who finished three points in back of Hamilton.
“The guy I would have on there is a lot like [Sidney] Crosby and [Alex] Ovechkin in that he’s an older player who still does a lot, but he’s not in his prime. That’s Drew Doughty,” a Western Conference exec said. “He eats a lot of minutes, runs the penalty kill and their power play. He’s won two Cups. He may not be at the peak of his game, but he is still a top-10 defenseman in the NHL.”
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey (16 points), Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (14 points) and Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (10 points) were also considered by voters.